Dark and Stormy

The Dark and Stormy cocktail is a Caribbean classic that couldn’t be simpler to make. All you really need is dark rum and ginger beer. Said to have been invented in Bermuda in the early 20th century, shortly after World War I, the drink reportedly first took form when British sailors—who were making ginger beer to combat seasickness—added local Goslings rum. (The Dark and Stormy’s cousin, the Moscow Mule, essentially the same drink with vodka instead of rum, was invented later in Los Angeles.) Goslings has since trademarked the name “Dark ’n Stormy,” which is why some bars refer to their version of the drink as a Safe Harbor or Rum Mule. If you want to make the official cocktail recipe (or abbreviate the “and” in the name), you must use Goslings Black Seal Rum. That said, other dark rums, sometimes called black rums, also work well. Just don’t swap out the ginger beer for ginger ale; you need the spicy, rich flavor of the former to make this drink properly. (If you’re very ambitious, you could make your own ginger beer, but we like Barritt’s and Fever Tree.)

Some Dark and Stormy recipes call for a measured amount of fresh lime juice or a dash of aromatic bitters. This version, from award-winning mixologist Dale DeGroff, parallels the classic formula, requiring just a lime wedge for garnish.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘The Craft of the Cocktail’ by Dale DeGroff. Buy the updated edition of the book on Amazon. Check out more of our favorite ginger beer cocktails.